A Vow
by AllYouEverDidWasWreckMe
Summary: Rumpel is a member of the Night's Watch, but will that last long when he meets Belle?
1. Thief

In the North, cold bites into every part of a being. It chills the skin, burns the eyes and freezes the heart. Those who live up in the barren whiteness might as well be carved from stone, according to the southerners who enjoy nicer climates and easier ways of life. However, that is not true. As you, dear reader, will soon find out is that those who live on the edge of humanity are the most feeling of all the people in Westeros.

Our story starts out on the Wall, the giant ice barrier between the wildlings and the civilized people. The Night's Watch guards the Wall, making sure all of Westeros is safe from the dangers that lurk beyond the Wall. One of the older members of the Night's Watch was a man who went by the name Rumpelstiltskin. Rumple had been given over to the Watch as a young boy and served ever since. Most of the Brothers didn't bother him, for the man had all sorts of rumors hanging over his head. Talk of warlocks and wizards flew around the dinner table but none had ever tried to seek out the truth. Dressed all in black, the man kept to himself and while the others were wary of him they knew he could solve any problems they might have. He was an expert in herbs and could give any brother of the Night's Watch any remedy he might need. Some said he dealt in deals far darker than a rash, but those claims have yet to be proven.

Near the wall was Mole's Town, a chilly little village where nearly all the buildings were held underground. In one of the freezing shacks huddled in the snow lived Belle. The young girl felt trapped in the claustrophobic tunnels that made up Mole's Town, and dreaded what her future might bring. Few people ever left the village and if they did it was to join the Night's Watch because they had no other choice. The only choices Belle seemed to have hidden away in the snow was to marry one of the pox ridden boys that lived there or take a job with the brothel. Neither option was appealing in the least, and Belle made sure to keep clear of the tiny shack with the red lantern hanging above the door. Alas, her home town had proven to be more boring than anything else. Most nights, Belle would climb up the shaky wooden stairs to the outside and sit out in the forest until her fingers nearly fell off. She'd look up at the stars, or at the wall reaching up to meet the tiny pin points of light in the sky. Sometimes she'd try to picture what the other side of the wall looked like. She had heard stories from musicians who come through town (most on their way to serve their sentence on the Wall) of how the other side was a completely different world and others said the Wall was the end of the world. So many possibilities, so many places to explore, and yet the girl was trapped in the tiny little hovel she shared with her father who kept hinting at "how lovely that young boy is, what is his name? Oh yes, Gaston!" Belle'd rather have grey scale than marry that lump of coal, yet as the days went by the narrower her prospects became. Maybe she'd have to settle for the red lantern.

"Some of the boys are 'digging for treasure' tonight, you wanna come along, old man?" one of the brothers, a little tipsy from rum they had taken from the store room, asked Rumpelstiltskin. A sharp look from the man made the boy reconsider his phrasing. "I mean, Rumple."

Of course none of the brothers were actually allowed to leave Castle Black unless ordered and the whole reason they were headed that way was in violation of their vows, however most men looked the other way. Life in the north was hard and they couldn't blame the lads for wanting some warmth where there seemed to be none. Most of the time Rumple brushed the boys off. He had lived his whole life at Castle Black and didn't care for the company of others, but that night there seemed to be a twinkle in his eye. Standing up, Rumple slammed his hands against the wood of the table, looking at the rowdy young men he called brothers. "When do we leave?"

Tonight seemed to be no different for Belle. She slipped through the muddy corridors of Mole's Town, only to be caught in the corner by a rather drunk Gaston. He wasn't all that difficult to deter, a little mutter of excuse me, a quick slip under his arm and she was home free down the next tunnel and up the stairs into the cold night before he had figured out she was gone. Walking to the edge of the forest, the girl sat down on a tree stump, wrapping her cloak tighter around her shoulders. Winter would soon be on them and she wasn't looking forward to it. Blue eyes drifted to the giant wall of ice that seemed to consume the night sky. Thoughts drifted to the past, how had the men back then built such a thing? They must have been brave and hardworking. Visions of attacks and battles filled her head, and she had not realized her eyes were closed until the sound of horses made them snap open again.

The group was coming from the north, and the only thing that is north of Mole's Town is the Wall. It must be some black brothers come to town to visit the brothel. They come every so often and make a lot of noise, but everyone welcomes them. Without them Mole's Town would be even poorer than it is now. Not exactly a fan of unwanted attention, Belle slipped further into the forest, hidden in the shadows as the riders flew past. They were definitely from the Night's Watch, their black cloaks were unmistakable. All the men threw the reins of their horses to one man and went straight to the red lantern, disappearing down the stairs as the noises from inside drifted across the snow. Suddenly a thought invaded Belle's head. One of those crazy once in a lifetime thoughts that could change your life in the blink of an eye. Her eyes settled on one of the black horses that stood outside the brothel and steeled her heart from cowardice. Looks like she had three options now.

With his boots stuck in the snow, Rumpelstiltskin stood outside the tiny shack that was the entrance to Mole's Town, watching as the horses snorted and kicked at the white powder that coated the ground. He thought a quick escape from Castle Black was just what his heart needed, but alas fresh air had done him no good and he doubted some poor peasant girl would help either. As all the thieves and murderers had their fun underground, Rumple looked to the south. He might have actually traveled that path if he hadn't been caught. All his neighbors had turned him in that day when he was a boy. Afraid of what he might do when he grew older, they dumped him at Castle Black like he was a bag of potatoes. Maybe he could go back to that village and show them exactly what he had become.

The man's thoughts were interrupted by the loud whiny of a horse behind him. Whirling around, Rumple managed to snag a glance at the blue cloak the rider wore before they tore off into the night to the south. Without any hesitation, Rumpelstiltskin mounted his own horse and started after the thief. They'd surely be punished for this, possibly even drafted into the Night's Watch. Wouldn't that be a laugh! Having to serve your sentence with the men you stole from? Some people are idiots, taking from an entire group of men known to be criminals. How foolish men can be.

The rider came into sight just ahead and Rumple dug his heels deeper into the horse, urging it forward. The thief took a sharp turn into the forest, slipping through the trees and into the dark. Rumple cursed under his breath and followed them, yanking at the reins. The trees on the edge of the forest were not so close together, but farther into the woods the limbs tangled together and trunks grew nearer to one another. Soon Rumple's target was trapped between him and three large pines that blocked his path.

Slowing his stead, Rumpelstiltskin gave a laugh that bounced off the trees and echoed into the night. Eyeing his victim, the man could make out little of what was hidden beneath the rider's cloak. "I'll give you two choices thief! You can die here for your crime, or you can join the Night's Watch!"

Giddy with excitement, Rumple waited for the man's reply. What an interesting night this was turning out to be- much better than visiting the same skinny girl three other brothers had in the same night. However, what happened next wasn't something the man could ever had predicted. The rider yanked back his hood to reveal a pale face framed with brown curls. Red lips pursed together and blue eyes stared at him defiantly.

"I'll be taking the black."

Despite the way her knees felt like they were going to spill her out in the snow, Belle was determined not to show any fear to this black brother. Sure, she _technically _stole from the Night's Watch but that didn't warrant death… did it? Whatever the verdict, the man had taken both of the horses and made he walk in front of him all the way back to Mole's Town so he could keep an eye on her… from his horse. It was quit absurd and she made sure to tell him that many times.

"So what is your name?" Rumple asked from atop his horse.

"Belle," she sighed, trudging through the snow, lifting up her skirts in order to move one boot in front of the other. "What's yours?"

"That's none of your business," he said, lips pressed together in an impish smile.

"Well, that's not fair at all!" Belle said, stopping to turn around and glare at her captor.

"Criminals shouldn't talk about anything being fair, now turn back around," Rumpelstiltskin cackled. Reluctantly, the girl turned back around, stomping through the snow again and rubbing her hands together to keep them warm.

"You can't talk much either, black brother. I know the sort of men who join the Night's Watch," she said, her voice cutting through the chill air. Rumple brushed off her comment, not even bothering to reply to it. Frustrated Belle continued. "What are you going to do with me, anyway? You haven't killed me yet and everyone knows I can't join the Night's Watch so why are you making me march through this snow? So I'll die of cold?!"

"How about this, _dearie_," Rumple said, stopping his horse and sliding off of it's back. "I'll offer you a deal."

Taking a few steps closer, Belle eyed him suspiciously. "What kind of deal?"

"Well, killing you would just be a waste, but you do lack certain parts in order to take the black. So I offer you this- instead of turning you over to the authorities, you can serve as my personal servant. Like a, squire you might say," he said, his lips pulled up into a delighted smirk.

"I highly doubt they'll let me live in Castle Black," Belle said flatly.

"Oh we won't be staying at Castle Black, I have another place in mind…" Rumple said, his grin filling every part of his face with that mischievous excitement that caused everyone around him to worry. "Beyond the wall."


	2. A New Home

Frozen and shocked, Belle stood in the snow wondering who exactly this man was. Something told her he was more than a common criminal sentenced to take the black, now there was much more to this story she didn't know. However, words seemed to fail her. Standing there, staring back at the man dressed in black, all the girl could say was "well, are you going to make me walk all the way to the other side of the wall?"

The man cackled, and stepped towards her, placing a hand in the middle of her back and ushering her towards his horse. "You are a funny one, Belle."

He helped her onto the back of the horse and once she was secured in the saddle, Belle bent over to look at the man again. "Do I get to know your name yet?"

He took her hands into his gloved ones, warming the girl's chilled skin. "Rumpelstiltskin."

Belle thought it was a rather odd name but decided against telling him so. Instead, he jumped up into the saddle behind her, wrapping his arms around to hold the reins. Belle sat up a little too straight, her body stiff with anxiety with Rumple so close, but she did enjoy the warmth from his nearness.

They rode right through Mole's Town where the other brother's horses were still waiting for them to come out of their drunken haze. By the time they reached the gates of Castle Black, the sun was just barely beginning to rise. Riding through the gates, Rumpelstiltskin immediately slid from the animal's back and grabbed Belle by the waist, probably intending to help her down but ended up dragging her into the snow. "We have to hurry," he said, eyes darting around the yard for any people who might be watching. Then he started off towards one of the crumbling towers, towing Belle behind him. Inside the stone structure wasn't all that warmer from being outside, but she had no time to complain about it because they were already headed down a staircase and into a room full of cells. He lead her down the length of the room until they were facing the farthest corner of it.

"For now, until…" he trailed off. The sound of footsteps from above caught their attention and Rumple quickly shoved Belle into the cell added an "I'll be back," and then vanished up the stairs.

"I stole a horse, basically got arrested and risked my life to live underground yet again," Belle muttered to herself, sitting in the cell with her back against the wall and her brain slowly turning to mush. There wasn't even anything to do here, just to sit and think. The sound of her stomach growling reached her ears and she couldn't help but sigh. Perhaps she didn't need so much adventure, maybe she should have stayed home and married Gaston. At least then she'd have something to do instead of just sitting here.

The sound of boots against stone echoed against the walls, and Belle crawled to the opening of the cell to see who it was. Naturally, the only person who had been here in the last few hours, it was Rumpelstiltskin. Kneeling down next to her, he laid out the meal he managed to smuggle away. His gift consisted off a few slices of bread wrapped in a handkerchief and a water skin. After looking at the food a little warily, Belle carefully lifted a piece of bread and took a bite. It was still warm and just having the food in her mouth made her stomach rumble even louder, demanding she eat more and she was more than happy to obey.

"Thank you," she managed between bites of bread. Rumple gave a shrug and a frown tugged at the corner of his lips.

"It's just bread," he said, his features pulled into confusion. The girl was acting like he had given her feast. She merely smiled at him and shoved the rest of the slice that had been in her hand in her mouth. Rumple shook his head to loosen any odd thoughts that might be clinging to the inside of his skull and stood up. "I'm afraid you'll be staying here awhile, dearie."

"Well, is there anything I can do here?" Belle asked, her frustration showing in her voice.

"I'll think of something," Rumple said, waving his hand as if do swat her question away, and started for the stairs.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" Belle asked hesitantly, still unsure how to fit the name in her mouth. The man turned around and raised an eyebrow at her and she replied with a smirk that showed off the ruby of her lips. "Thank you for taking me away."

Taken aback by the confession, Rumple blinked a few times at the girl before starting for the stairs again tossing an"I didn't take you away, I arrested you!" over his shoulder. As his boots hit the stone steps, Rumple's mind was full of Belle's grin. What kind of girl is thankful for being stolen by the likes of him?


	3. The Library

Tapping his fingertips against the desk hidden in the corner of the dusty collection of scrolls and books, Rumpelstiltskin couldn't seem to stop his mind from running off. Every time he turned to the task at hand his thoughts drifted across the yard and down the stairs to where Belle was staying. Her words still echoed around his skull "Thank you."

The girl must have some kind of condition. That has to be it, there is no other option.

Leaning back, the chair beneath him groaned from age. The libraries of The Night's Watch were never very popular places for its occupants, mostly because only a handful of them could even read. Occasionally the old blind maester would come down with some squire to look through the papers but as the man grew older his trips grew few and far between. While most of the men found the collection of dusty papers boring, Rumple rather liked it. There was so much material on the shelves that he could be locked in there for decades and never run out of things to read…

The familiar grin pulled at the man's lips as his idea settled in.

They waited until dark, throwing an extra old black cloak over Belle's shoulders and quickly sneaking across the snow covered yard into the tower that held the library. The moment she stepped foot in the room the girl's eyes lit up like candles being set ablaze. She slapped a hand over her mouth to keep all sound at bay and stared at all the books and scrolls and maps that were scattered throughout the rooms. Stepping between two shelves, the brunette ran her finger tips over the spines of the editions. With his hands clasped behind his back, he couldn't help but smirk at how excited she was to see all those books.

"You like this better than your cell, I take it?" he whispered, careful not to attract any unwanted attention from his brothers. Save for the moonlight streaming in through the window and the candle Rumple held, there were no other lights in the room, leaving the whole place rather dim.

"I love it," she said, twirling around to look at him. Rumple stepped closer, setting the candle on one of the shelves and leaned in, whispering instructions to his ward.

"Now remember, if you hear anyone come through the door there is a supply closet in the back right corner of the room. No one ever uses it anyway. So, I guess if anyone does see you, you could just knock them out with one of these dictionaries," Rumple grinned at her and Belle returned the smile that was far more beautiful than his had ever been even when he was young. How was it that she could just pull those grins out of thin air while he had to use so much effort to keep from looking like something out an old nurses' bed time story?

"I'll be as quiet as a mouse, not a soul will know I'm here," Belle whispered, then her eyes fell to the floor before slowly finding their way back to Rumple's again. "Well, all but one."

Unsure of what to do yet again in Belle's presence, Rumpelstiltskin gave a stiff laugh before turning to the door. "Good night, dearie."

"Good night, Rumpelstiltskin," her voice sighed through the shelves of books as if she had become one with the library. His name sounded so natural in her voice now, almost sweet as if the letters were dripping with syrup. That or lonely old heart was playing tricks on him, but in all his years he had never felt quite like this, whatever this was.


	4. A Rose

The anxious sound of fingernails hitting a tabletop filled the room as Rumpelstiltskin stared out the window coated in a layer of frost, eyes gazing at the blinding white wall trying to see through it to the other side. He had taken in this girl with half-baked plans on his mind, but could he really go through with them? Sure he had picked out the little crumbling tower for his home beyond the wall and when he went out scouting he'd do some work on it but it was nothing permanent. Besides, could he desert the Night's Watch? Sure, all the boys around here were annoying but they were still his brothers and as much as he hated to say it his vows are binding… every part of them. Hanging his head in his hands, the man's mind was a storm of thoughts and ideas yet none of them seemed to be the answer he needed or wanted. He couldn't keep Belle hidden forever… could even keep Belle period? He had been filled with adrenaline when he met her and hadn't been thinking straight and now look where that brought him. Maybe if the girl stopped being so damn nice to him this would be an easier decision to make. He could still see her smile in his mind and hear the way her voice wrapped around his name. Now that was a creature Rumple never quite managed to understand- women.

By the light of a single candle mounted on a desk pressed between the shelves of the library, Belle read of the adventures of the black brothers. There was so much to take in- their battles with wildings and beasts only seen beyond the wall, and how the great barrier of ice was built piece by piece until it had reached the height it stands at today. After the scarceness of books in Mole's Town, this was a dream for the girl who as soon as she finished one book took little time to find herself enthralled in another. As she was just starting the history of the 57th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch the sound of boots on stone just outside of the door pulled her straight from her reading.

Jumping up from her chair, Belle leaned over to blow out the candle before darting through the shelves to the supply closet Rumple had told her about. However, the front door opened before she reached it and the girl pressed her back against a bookcase full of parchment, looking around the corner at the two brothers who had walked in.

"I hate this place," the larger of the two men said, his eyes darting around the room. "It's creepy."

" Creepy? Son, you might be in the wrong place. The Night's Watch is not for the faint of heart," the shorter man punctuated his sentence with a raspy laugh. His back was hunched over and the sounds of his footfalls were uneven against the floor.

"I'm a steward not a ranger for Gods' sake! I shouldn't have to be brave," the younger one muttered, stepping towards the end of the room Belle was huddled in. You might think the girl was scared, and, true, her heart was beating like it might burst from her chest but a grin took a hold of her lips. She was finally seeing new people, and she couldn't help but grin at their conversation.

"Well you were brave enough when you stole that hunk of cheese that brought you here!" the older man gave another rough laugh that eventually turned into a coughing fit.

"Oh shut up, old man. Like you know what it means to be brave," the heavy thumps of the man's boots were coming closer down the aisle and Belle tip toed to the other side of her shelving and snuck around the corner, inching towards the closet that would finally conceal her. As she neared her hiding place, she stepped on a rotting floor board, sending a loud creak through the whole room. "Did you hear that?!"

"Of course I did! I'm old not deaf!" the old man snapped. "This is an old castle, sweet summer child- it creaks sometimes."

Belle launched forward again, moving as fast as she could without making any noise before reaching the closet. Her hand went to the handle but found that the door was stuck. She tugged on it as silently as she could but it wouldn't budge. The girl's excitement was turning to fear as the men's footsteps roamed around the room.

"Hey, this candle is still warm," the younger man said, his voice drifting over from where Belle had been reading.

"You're imagining things sonny, nothing is warm here," the usual laugh followed the man's statement. Belle yanked at the door's handle again and the door jerked free from its frame, but the bottom scrapped against the floor filling the room with the goose bump inducing scratching noises. Cringing, she quickly slipped into the darkness of the closet just as the younger man turned to the corner to investigate the sound.

"Did you get the maps yet?" the boy asked. From her hiding spot, Belle could see the boy's face clearer now. He didn't look much older than herself, his worried face covered in pox marks and his fingers anxiously fidgeting with the edge of his cloak.

"I'm getting them, I'm getting them- don't rush me, boy!" the old man shouted from across the room. The younger of the brothers turned to look at him and Belle to her opportunity, taking a hold of the handle on the inside of the door and slamming the wood shut. She could hear the younger brother squeal before footsteps slammed against the floor and the front door swung open on its rusty hinges. The old man's laughter filled the room, followed by the sound of his uneven stride and the clatter of the door closing behind him.

Giggling to herself, Belle pushed against the wood of the closet door, eager to return to her reading only to find it stuck again, only this time with her inside of it. Despite all of her efforts to open the door, nothing proved fruitful. Frustrated, Belle sat on the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her cape around herself. Fuming at herself for even getting stuck in such a position, Belle put her feet up and gave the door one final ravage kick which sent the door flying open and Belle's back into the supply shelves. A book flew from one of the top shelves and landed right in her lap. Surprised by the chain of events, Belle looked in shock at the large leather bound edition in front of her. It was an old book, but not dusty as the other things in the closet were. It must be used quite often to have not collected a layer of the stuff, and it seemed to be well taken care of. Most of the bindings of the books in the library were worn down and falling off of their editions, this one was obviously old but much better looking. The front of the leather bound book was covered in a language she didn't know and when the girl threw open the book she found it full of odd symbols and recipes and… are those spells?

Flipping through the pages, Belle became certain that this was no ordinary history book, but some kind of magician's book, but who's? Rumpelstiltskin said no one goes into the supplies closet… of course that doesn't exempt him. It was while she was still skimming the pages of a certain potion when the main door to the library swung open and revealed the very man she was thinking of standing in the door way.

Rumple was horrified to see his best held secret out in the open and in the hands of Belle no doubt. She must know what people do to those who practice magic- it was what got him into the Night's Watch as a boy in the first place. Her blue eyes lifted to meet his and while he expected a look of disgust she was there with a kind smile yet again. It was almost obnoxious how gentle she was all the time, but after a hard cold life it was relaxing to let his guard down once and awhile.

"This is yours?" she asked shyly, lifting the book up to him. Rumple had just realized his mouth had been hanging open and he quickly shut it and gave the girl a curt nod. "Well, do you think you can show me something?"

Rumple lifted an eyebrow at the girl. She wanted him to… show her some of the taboo magic he knew? "Uh, sure here… let me see."

Rumple picked up a piece of blank parchment from a nearby pile, crumpling it into his hands, the entire ball was concealed in his fist, his eyes flicked to Belle's for a moment before opening his fingers, revealing a blue rose in its place.

"It's beautiful," Belle said, smiling at the flower. Rumple found himself enthralled by the girl's grin yet again. How is it that a person can be so… good? He had never known such tenderness existed in the world.

"Here, it's yours," kneeling down to her level, Rumple held the rose out to her. Thin fingers took ahold of the stem, brushing against Rumple's own calloused ones. There was a tightness in the man's chest he couldn't explain, and a dreamy fog filled his head. He almost felt drunk, but in a much lighter, much happier way.

"Thank you. It's truly magnificent what you can do," Belle said, her eyes lighting up and her face flushed with life. Rumple's fingers itched to reach forward and caress her cheek but he held back. Self control was something he had learned in his years on the Wall, yet it was harder now than he ever remembered it being. He had a vow to uphold, he couldn't start going back on his word now… could he?

"Most people would say differently," Rumple gave a forced laugh, his eyes wandering around the room, refusing to fall on the gentle smile that was already burned into his mind.

"Well, I guess I'm not most people," the nervous giggle that ended her sentence was enough to make his gaze stop on her again.

"No, I don't think you are," Rumple allowed himself to smile at his companion, watching as she admired the rose he conjured up for her. Why did it feel like someone was sitting on his chest? It was hard to breath and his heart was beating faster than when he first stood atop the wall.

"You're not like most people either," Belle giggled hiding behind the flower, which only made the blue in her eyes stand out even more.

"I guess not," was there always this little space between them? When had it gotten so warm in the usual cold Castle? So many questions were unfolding in his head and in an instant they were all gone when Belle pressed her lips to his own. Rumple could not remember the last time he had been kissed, or even been in the presence of a woman and now his brain was full of her smell, and the softness of her lips. They slowly pulled apart and Rumple looked down at his black attire and was reminded of his vows all over again. Abruptly climbing to his feet, the man looked down at Belle- the thief he was both grateful and regretful for finding and shook his head.

"I can't" and with that he was gone again, leaving Belle alone in the library with the single rose that glistened with frost.


End file.
